Vikings, stadium authority have agreement to run MLS franchise

A rendering of the interior of the new Vikings stadium, released on Monday May 13, 2013. (Courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

As concrete is poured for a new Vikings stadium, the NFL franchise has reached a "business agreement" with the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority to put a Major League Soccer franchise inside.

MLS is expanding to 24 teams by 2020, and the Vikings are one of two Minnesota groups vying for one of the final expansion clubs. Friday's announcement by the Vikings was an attempt to take the upper hand.

"We think it's advancing the ball toward getting an MLS team in this building," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' vice president of stadium development and public affairs.

The Vikings' agreement states they would pay $340,000 in annual rent to the MSFA and cover the game-day expenses, Bagley said. The MSFA will be the owner and operator of the $1 billion stadium to open in 2016.

"It shows the MLS that we are serious -- the stadium authority and the Vikings," Bagley said. "The stadium is ideal for MLS. We have a great market and a strong, stable, fiscally sound ownership."

Minnesota is considered a leading candidate for a new MLS franchise.

MSFA chairwoman Michele Kelm-Helgen said the rent amount was broken down to $20,000 a game across 17 scheduled home MLS matches.

"Bringing in a major league franchise means more revenue for the state," Kelm-Helgen said. "The Legislature had this in mind when they passed the bill."

The MSFA hired SMG, a venue management company with experience in soccer, to help set the annual amount of the agreement.

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"That was determined to be market-rate rent," Kelm-Helgen said.

Bill McGuire, owner of the existing pro soccer team, Minnesota United FC, also is exploring an opportunity in MLS. United would be interested in a soccer-specific stadium that would seat around 20,000, and a spot near the Minneapolis Farmers' Market north of downtown has been suggested as a possible site.

Expansion clubs have been rewarded to New York (which will start play in 2015), Orlando (2015) and Atlanta (2017).

An additional expansion franchise appears headed for Miami, but former soccer great and prospective MLS owner David Beckham has had problems with stadium site proposals.

Other possible candidates for the final MLS expansion franchise include Las Vegas, St. Louis, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Sacramento, Calif., and Austin, Texas.